Hi, I just had my XJS in for the MOT test. It failed due to exessive wear on the rear wheel bearings.

When I look further into the issue back home in my garage I find that the rear wheels have a SMALL movement when I push the top of the tire. There is no movement when pushing on the sides or on the bottom of the tire. This tell me that it is not the bearings that is the problem.

For me it look like the movement is in the driveshaft axels. Is that normal or is it a problem? The movement is small and there are no sounds that could implicate a problem.

Thank you for your help!

 

You probably have some movement at the bottom but it is minimal, as the lever at the top is larger...

The driveshafts can cause movement when either the U-joints are worn after being rarely greased or the bearings in the differential are worn (and allow motion). The only way to check is to move the wheel and hold the driveshaft - if you can feel the movement in the shaft, you've found the culprit.